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When we look at the sky and see a bright light moving quickly across it or coming towards the earth, we talk about seeing a “shooting star” or a “falling star”. These moving lights are not, in fact, stars at all. They are small pieces of matter from outer space, which burn up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The correct name of them is meteoroids. Any pieces that make it to the Earth’s surface without completely burning up are known as meteorites. A meteor is actually the name given to the light we see when a meteoroid is burning up.

When a meteorite hits the Earth at speeds between 11 and 72 kilometers a second, it can do amazing damage. A very large meteorite could knock the earth out of its orbit. If this happened, all life on Earth would probably become extinct（灭绝）. The path we follow around the Sun would change and as a result the Earth would become either much hotter or much colder. This change in temperature would affect sea levels and the amount of water in rivers. There would either be huge floods, which would cover most of the land with water, or the oceans would dry up and there would be a drought, which means a long period of time without rain. Either way, nothing could survive. If a large meteorite landed in the sea it would almost certainly cause tsunamis, which would race towards the land, destroying everything in their paths.

Although it is unlikely the Earth will be struck by a meteorite large enough to do that kind of damage, there is evidence of fairly large meteorites hitting the Earth in the past. In 1908 a large area of forest in Tunguska, Siberia was destroyed by a meteorite that came apart just before it hit the ground. The moon, however, has about three billion craters陨石坑caused by meteorites impacting影响 its surface. The reason more meteorites have reached the surface of the moon than the surface of the Earth is that the moon does not have enough atmosphere for the meteorites to burn up in. some of the meteorites that have reached the Earth’s surface have done considerable damage. Some scientists believe it was a change of climate caused by meteorites hitting the Earth that resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs and other large prehistoric animals.

Scientists are especially interested in meteorites because they contain information about the solar system. It is widely believed by scientists that most meteorites are produced by collisions（碰撞） between asteroids (small planets). These collisions probably happened many billions of years ago. This means the physical and chemical structure of a meteorite can give scientists information about the early days of the universe.

【小题1】           The story is about ___.     

A. floods caused by meteors

B. matter from outer space

C. life on Earth millions of years ago

D. meteorites that have damaged the moon

【小题2】           The Earth has ___.                    

A. three billion craters

B. fewer craters than the moon

C. more craters than the moon

D. a thinner atmosphere than the moon

【小题3】           Some scientists believe the dinosaurs became extinct because ___.     

A. they were hit by meteors

B. meteorites landed on their nests

C. meteorites landed and changed the climate

D. they could no longer breathe the atmosphere

【小题4】           Meteors are ___.                                         

A. small planets

B. the same as asteroids

C. from broken parts of asteroids

D. the light we see when meteoroids hit our atmosphere

 

Looking back on my childhood, I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental math.

Before World War I we spent out summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim(模糊的)memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys, Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal clear memory of dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and above all, the insects.

I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into various investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people’s observations and discoveries.Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle. Because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some may light honor, with the title of scientific research.

But curiosity, a keen eye ,a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist: one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack, A scientist can be made a naturalist. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.

1.According to the author, a born naturalist should first of all be      

A. full of ambition               B. self-disciplined               C. full of enthusiasm D. knowledgeable

2.The first paragraph tells us that the author     

A. lost his hearing when he was a child                        

B. didn’t like his brothers and sisters

C. was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood           

D. was born to a naturalist’s family

3.The author says that his a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he     

A. just reads about other people’s observations and discoveries

B. lacks some of the qualities required of scientist

C. has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic

D. comes up with solutions in most natural ways.

4.The author can’t remember his clearly because     

A. He didn’t live very long with them                   B. He was too young when he lived with them

C. The family was extremely large                        D. He was fully occupied with observing nature

5.Which of the following statements is true?

A. The author believes that a born naturalist cannot be a scientist

B. The author read a lot of books about the natural world and oil industry

C. The author’s brothers and sisters were good at music and languages

D. The author spent a lot of time working on riddles.

 

One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by sending newspapers door to door, was so hungry that he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.

However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” With these words, Howard Kelly left that house.

Years later the woman became badly ill and was finally sent to the hospital in a big city. Dr. Howard Kelly, now famous, was called in. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Dressed in his doctor’s clothes, Dr. Kelly went into her room and recognized her at once. From that day on, he gave special attention to her, and decided to do his best to save her life.

At last the woman was saved. Dr. Kelly asked the business office to pass the final bill to him. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to the woman’s room. She was afraid to open it because she was sure that it would take the rest of her life to pay for it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words:

“Paid in full with a glass of milk, Dr. Howard Kelly.”

Tear of joy flooded her eyes.

1.The boy sent newspapers door to door in order to ________.

A．continue his schooling

B．become a famous doctor

C．thank the woman for her kindness

D．support his poor family

2.Which is true about the boy and the woman?

A．He was too shy to ask her for some water.

B．She thought he was not hungry but thirsty.

C．She wanted him to pay for the glass of milk.

D．She never thought he would save her life later.

3.After Dr. Kelly knew who the woman was, he ________.

A．began to take good care of her himself

B．told her she once gave him a glass of milk

C．decided to try his best to save her

D．asked for her bill and paid it off at once

4.The best title for this passage is ________.

A．A Warm-hearted Woman	B．A Glass of Milk
C．The Final Bill	D．A Famous Doctor

 

"Everybody loves a bargain．" One person’s useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain．That is why so many Americans do not throw things away．They put them outside their houses．They put on a "For Sale" sign．And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.

The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper．It tells, when and where the yard sale will take place．These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn．Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house．Then they sit all day in the sunlight—like tired guests at a party—waiting for someone to take them home．

Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale．Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else．Cooking equipment is also popular．So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs．

Then there are objects called "white elephants"．A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless．It may be an electric light shaped like a fish．You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it．To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy．

Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect．It may be old toy trains, for example, or paintings of dogs．Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before．Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special．They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating（谈判）over prices, even if they really do not need the object．Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought．

1.What kind of things will go to a yard sale?

A．Things people no longer use．             B．Things of great, value．

C．Things out of season．                   D．Things of beauty and joy．

2.A white elephant refers to something _____．

A．that can cause a feeling of pain

B．disliked by the owners while appreciated by others

C．that looks like a golden fish

D．sold at the lowest prices in the old newspaper

3.Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale?

A．It is held outdoors．                     B．It may not be held on a cold day.

C．It can last for a whole day．               D．It is usually held with a party．

 

The Iceberg Was Only Part ofIt

What doomed the Titanic is well known, at least in outline. On a moonless night of April 15, 1912, the ship hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic ,with 1,500 lives lost.

A century later many people presented new theories to explain the real reason for the disaster. Now two new studies argue that rare states of nature played major roles in the disaster.

The first says Earth’s nearness to the Moon and the Sun — a proximity not matched in more than 1,000 years — resulted in record tides that help explain why the Titanic met with so much ice, including the fatal iceberg.

Recently, a team of researchers found an apparent explanation in the heavens. They discovered that Earth had come unusually close to the Sun and Moon that winter, enhancing their gravitational pulls on the ocean and producing record tides. The rare orbits took place between December 1911 and February 1912 — about two months before the disaster came about. The researchers suggest that the high tides refloated masses of icebergs traditionally stuck along the coastlines of Labrador and Newfoundland and sent them adrift into the North Atlantic shipping lanes.

And a second, put forward by a Titanic historian from Britain, contends that the icy waters created ideal conditions for an unusual type of mirage(海市蜃楼) that hid icebergs from lookouts whose duty was to watch carefully for danger ahead and confused a nearby ship as to the liner’s identity, delaying rescue efforts for hours.

Most people know mirages as natural phenomena caused when hot air near the Earth’s surface bends light rays upward. In a desert, the effect prompts lost travelers to mistake patches of blue sky for pools of water. But another kind of mirage occurs when cold air bends light rays downward. In that case, observers can see objects and settings far over the horizon. The images often undergo quick distortions — not unlike the wavy reflections in a funhouse mirror.

Now, scholars of the Titanic are debating these new theories. Some have different opinions on it. Over all, though, many experts are applauding the fresh perspectives. 

1.The underlined word "It" in the title probably refers to _______.

A．the Titanic	B．the cause of the disaster
C．the record tide	D．an unusual mirage

2.According to Theory First, what was the right chain of causes leading to the Titanic’s disaster?

① record tides’ forming and icebergs’ being refloated

② icebergs’ being drifted into the North Atlantic shipping lanes

③ the Earth’s strange closing to the Sun and the Moon

④ increasing of the gravitational force on the ocean

A．①→②→③→④

B．②→③→④→①

C．④→③→②→①

D．③→④→①→②

3.According to Theory Second, the disaster happened to the Titanic mainly because______.

A．the freezing weather made the watcher not be able to watch clear

B．the mirage made the watcher not find icebergs and a nearby ship delay rescuing

C．the mirage on the sea attracted the watcher and made him forget his work

D．the high tides drove the icebergs float so fast that the watcher didn’t respond to them

4.What is the chief function of the sixth paragraph?

A．to explain to the readers the ways of the mirage forming

B．to infer the possibility of the mirage appearing

C．to summarize the various kinds of the mirage

D．to analyze the conditions of the mirage arising

5.This passage is organized generally in the pattern of________.

A．comparison and contrast	B．conclusion and proof
C．time and events	D．definition and classification（分类)